Pay Cuts Accompany New Jobs

WSAW’s Madeline Anderson reports that in the wake of closing a local paper plant, over 1,000 workers will be forced to retrain and re-enter the job market. Unfortunately, though, these workers will probably face pay cuts as they look to re-start their professional lives.

Local Workforce Development Board official Bruce Trimble told Anderson the biggest challenge the Board faces is matching people with work that reflects their previous salary, which at the Wausau Paper plant averaged approximately $60,000 per week with benefits.

According to Trimble, many of these workers could face pay cuts of up to half of what they were previously making. Trimble added that this was especially difficult given that many of them must also attend school in the evenings after working at their new jobs, putting stress on both the employee and their family.